Houssein Hamze, who survived a near-death experience during Israel’s 2006 war with Hezbollah thanks to his dog, now runs an animal shelter in southern Lebanon. Despite ongoing conflicts, he stays in his village to care for abandoned and rescued animals, providing food and shelter even during dangerous times.
Key Facts
In 2006, a bomb landed near Hamze’s home; his dog’s barking warned him in time to avoid injury.
Hamze founded the Mashala shelter in Zefta, south Lebanon, to care for stray and abandoned animals.
The shelter cares for around 200 dogs, camels, horses, chickens, geese, and ravens.
Hamze stayed during the 2026 Hezbollah-Israel war to care for animals left behind by fleeing residents.
He regularly delivered food and water to animals despite the threat of Israeli drone and airstrikes.
Some animals came to the shelter on their own during the war, seeking food and help.
Hamze marked his vehicle to show he was an animal caretaker while being observed by drones.
He has rescued injured animals like Lulu, a dog who lost part of her tail in an airstrike.
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Heavy rain and floods have caused serious damage across several Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea. The extreme weather has destroyed homes, crops, and roads, killed dozens of people, and displaced many residents.
Key Facts
In eastern Afghanistan, continuous rain for 10 days damaged homes made of stone and mud, killing at least 31 people and leaving hundreds missing.
Bangladesh’s Chattogram city recorded a record 412.3mm of rain in 24 hours, causing flash floods that destroyed homes and crops.
Residents like Jesmin Akter have lost their belongings and are relying on food aid while living in unsafe, wet conditions.
China has experienced a 35% increase in rivers rising above warning levels compared to the past five years, with deadly landslides and floods reported.
Typhoon Noul forced the evacuation of nearly 900,000 people in China’s Guangdong province.
The floods and storms in the region have been worsened by multiple typhoons hitting in a short time.
Governments and rescue workers are responding to floods and landslide disasters, but more rain is expected soon.
Other countries in the region like Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea have also suffered from extreme weather events like landslides and sudden heavy rain.
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Train drivers in Great Britain are thinking about striking because there are not enough toilets available during work. A union report found many drivers have no access to toilets and must use bottles or toilet in cabs, causing health and safety issues. Despite promises from train companies to improve facilities, progress has been slow, and the union demands action.
Key Facts
Train drivers face problems with lack of toilets and long driving times without breaks.
Many drivers urinate in bottles or defecate in cabs due to no toilet access.
Drivers limit drinking to avoid needing toilet breaks, which hurts their health.
A welfare charter requires clean, safe toilets and max four-hour driving shifts without breaks.
The rail regulator has said the current situation is unacceptable and harms workers’ dignity and safety.
Female drivers are especially affected, which makes recruiting women harder.
Health risks include deeper vein thrombosis and cancers linked to lack of toilet breaks.
Strike ballots are happening for several train companies due to these and other issues.
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A British YouTuber and rapper known as Yung Filly is on trial in Australia for charges including rape, assault, and choking. The case involves an incident in a Perth hotel room in September 2024, and the jury will consider their verdict soon.
Key Facts
Yung Filly’s real name is Andres Felipe Valencia Barrientos.
He faces six rape charges, three assault charges, and one count of choking.
The alleged victim was 20 years old at the time of the incident.
Barrientos denies slapping or choking the woman but admits to biting her, calling it a “love bite.”
Photos of the woman show bruises and bite marks.
The woman initially agreed to sex but reportedly withdrew consent when she felt unsafe.
A security guard took the woman’s phone before entering the hotel room; Barrientos says this is normal to protect privacy.
Barrientos was touring Australia and had been arrested days after performing in Brisbane.
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Shares in major chip companies dropped sharply in the US and Asia due to worries about artificial intelligence (AI) stocks. South Korea’s main stock market index, Kospi, fell so much that trading was paused temporarily, and companies like Samsung and SK Hynix lost over 10% in value.
Key Facts
South Korea’s Kospi index dropped around 10% before trading was paused for 20 minutes.
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shares each fell more than 10% during the sell-off.
Nvidia’s stock fell by 5% in New York, causing it to lose its spot as the world’s most valuable company to Apple.
The Kospi index has been halted eight times this year to stop panic selling.
Kospi had doubled in value from the start of 2024 to mid-June but then lost about one-third of its value.
SK Hynix shares listed in the US fell 7.5% and are now below their initial offer price from early July.
Japan’s tech-heavy Nikkei 225 index also dropped nearly 4.5% amid the sell-off.
Nvidia is reportedly in talks to provide $250 billion for OpenAI for a large AI data center project, but both companies declined to comment.
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A corruption inquiry in New South Wales (NSW) is investigating illegal donations linked to a group called the Liberal “Reformers,” who aimed to push their party to the right. A hotel owner admitted giving money to the group but said he now regrets supporting them after believing the party shifted too far in another direction.
Key Facts
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac) is holding hearings on alleged illegal donations to young NSW Liberal Party members called the “Reformers.”
The Reformers are accused of trying to change the party’s direction toward conservative policies by using branch stacking, which means manipulating party membership to influence decisions.
Hotelier Michael O’Hara, who is banned from making political donations due to his liquor business, admitted paying $165,000 to support the Reformers between 2018 and 2023.
O’Hara said he made payments through a lobbyist and a company linked to Jean-Claude Perrottet, brother of former Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet.
O’Hara stopped funding the group after feeling the NSW Liberals had become “woke,” a term referring to socially progressive positions, and criticized both state and federal leaders for being weak.
The inquiry heard that members of the Reformers expected $2 million from a fugitive property developer to support their goals.
Damien Tudehope, a NSW shadow attorney general and former business partner of O’Hara, was questioned but is not accused of wrongdoing; he has stepped aside from his party roles.
NSW Liberal leader Kellie Sloane said the hearings were difficult to hear but emphasized fairness during the investigation.
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Audio recordings from 2017 reveal that President Biden acknowledged having classified materials after leaving his vice-presidential job. Republicans in Congress released these tapes during an ongoing Justice Department investigation into how Biden handled classified documents.
Key Facts
The recordings were made while Biden was working on his 2017 memoir.
In the tapes, Biden says he found classified documents stored downstairs after leaving office.
House Republicans and a conservative group sued to get the tapes released.
The Justice Department had declined to release the tapes during Biden’s presidency.
Biden’s lawyers tried to keep the recordings private but dropped the lawsuit after losing in court.
The tapes include redactions, which Republicans say hide Biden’s disclosure of classified information.
Special Counsel Robert Hur investigated and concluded Biden improperly kept records but did not charge him.
Hur believed a jury might sympathize with Biden due to his age and memory issues.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet President Donald Trump at the White House, coinciding with a Senate vote on new sanctions against Russia and Iran. Ukraine recently attacked an Iranian tanker helping Russia, causing tensions to rise between these two separate conflicts.
Key Facts
Zelenskyy is attending the funeral of US Senator Lindsey Graham and meeting the US Senate on the same day.
The Senate is expected to vote on a bill imposing sanctions on Russia, including 100% tariffs on imports from countries buying Russian oil and gas.
President Trump added sanctions on Iran to this bill, with Zelenskyy supporting this addition.
Ukraine attacked an Iranian tanker in the Caspian Sea, which was reportedly carrying military supplies to Russia.
Iran has threatened to retaliate after the attack on its ship.
Ukraine and the US agreed to jointly produce Patriot missile systems to boost Ukraine’s air defense.
The US and Ukraine are negotiating a deal to produce drones together, aiming to improve military technology.
Fighting continues strongly in eastern Ukraine, with daily attacks causing casualties on both sides.
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Howard University unenrolled over 500 incoming first-year students because they missed the tuition payment deadline. The university reinstated some students, but many remain uncertain about their status just weeks before the fall semester starts.
Key Facts
Howard University unenrolled 502 incoming freshmen for missing the tuition payment deadline.
The deadline students missed was July 10, ahead of the fall semester starting on August 17, 2026.
The university said students received multiple reminders about tuition and financial aid since March.
Some students said they either never got notifications or received them only on the payment due date.
One student, Nikiyah Clark, traveled to the campus to try to regain her enrollment after being dropped.
Howard University stated that unenrollment was necessary to manage resources for enrolled students.
The university requires students to meet all payment, payment plan, or financial aid reporting deadlines.
Disagreement remains between students’ accounts and the university on the timing and receipt of notifications.
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In Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary debate, candidates Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed disagreed on outside spending, U.S. aid to Israel, and who is more electable. Stevens is a moderate and criticized outside funding claims, while El-Sayed, a progressive, opposed military aid to Israel and highlighted large spending by pro-Israel groups supporting Stevens.
Key Facts
The debate was between Michigan Democratic Senate candidates Haley Stevens (moderate) and Abdul El-Sayed (progressive).
The race is to replace outgoing Democratic Senator Gary Peters.
El-Sayed criticized Stevens for receiving tens of millions from pro-Israel outside groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
Stevens supports a two-state solution and denies outside spending affects her views on Israel.
El-Sayed opposes U.S. military aid to Israel and called it a bad use of tax dollars.
Stevens pointed out El-Sayed’s super PAC received money from his father-in-law, showing both sides use outside funding.
Stevens and her supporting super PACs have spent over $61 million on ads; El-Sayed and his allies have spent about $15.3 million.
The primary winner will face Republican Mike Rogers, who appeared with President Donald Trump, in the November election.
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The US aviation authority, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), warned that seats on 453 Boeing 737 MAX planes registered in the US might have been installed incorrectly and need inspection. If seats are loose during an emergency, they could cause injuries and slow down evacuation.
Key Facts
The FAA identified a possible problem with seat installation on 453 US-registered Boeing 737 MAX jets.
Loose seats could injure passengers and block aisles during an emergency landing.
The FAA proposed requiring airlines to inspect these seats.
This order applies only to planes registered in the US; other countries may follow the FAA’s lead.
Boeing had advised operators about this issue since December 2025 and supports making inspections mandatory.
There have been ongoing safety concerns about Boeing, including an emergency landing in January 2024 caused by a cabin panel missing bolts.
Around 2,300 Boeing 737 MAX jets fly globally, with 823 in the US.
The US National Transportation Safety Board criticized Boeing in June 2025 for poor training and oversight related to safety incidents.
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Senator Rand Paul has released over a thousand pages of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s journals covering the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic until Fauci stepped down in 2022. The journals reveal Fauci’s thoughts on the virus’s origins, his media interactions, and his relationship with President Trump as the Senate investigates how COVID-19 started.
Key Facts
Senator Rand Paul subpoenaed Dr. Fauci to testify about COVID-19’s origins.
Fauci’s journals cover December 2019 to December 2022, including the start of the pandemic.
Paul supports the idea that COVID-19 came from a lab leak in Wuhan, while many scientists think it arose naturally from animals.
The FBI and CIA have at times supported the lab leak theory, but with low certainty.
Fauci’s notes show early uncertainty about the virus’s source and calls for more investigation.
Fauci described his complicated media attention and his interactions with President Trump during the pandemic.
Paul accused Fauci of being dishonest about the virus’s origins in public statements compared to his private journals.
Fauci expressed discomfort with media reports suggesting he and President Trump were fighting.
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President Donald Trump stated that talks with Iran are ongoing while the US has paused military strikes. He said there is a good chance for progress but warned that military action might start again if the talks do not succeed.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump announced a pause in US military strikes against Iran.
Talks between the US and Iran are continuing during this pause.
President Trump expressed optimism about a possible breakthrough in negotiations.
He also warned that military action could resume if the negotiations fail.
The pause aims to create space for diplomatic discussions with Iran.
No additional details were given about the timing or content of the talks.
The situation involves efforts to avoid escalation of conflict between the US and Iran.
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CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins responded to insults from President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner, saying the focus should be on her reporting, not on his attacks. President Trump criticized Collins publicly, continuing a pattern of confrontations with female journalists who ask him tough questions.
Key Facts
Kaitlan Collins won an award at the White House Correspondents Dinner.
During the event, President Trump said Collins "never smiles" and called her award "fake," though he congratulated her.
Collins said she wants to keep attention on her work and the questions she asked, not on Trump's insults.
Trump posted an AI-generated image on his social media that replaced a transgender influencer’s face with Collins' face.
President Trump has repeatedly criticized Collins and other female journalists who ask him challenging questions.
The exchange is part of ongoing public conflicts between Trump and members of the press.
The story is still developing and may have updates in the future.
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The Australian comedy film The Castle will be turned into a stage play by the original filmmakers. The play will open in Melbourne in March 2027 to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary and will include new updates while keeping the original story’s humor and warmth.
Key Facts
The Castle is a popular Australian comedy movie released in 1997.
The story follows the Kerrigan family fighting to save their home from being demolished for an airport.
The original film was made by Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro, and Jane Kennedy, who will also write and produce the play.
Famous lines from the movie include “This is going straight to the pool room” and “Tell him he’s dreamin’.”
The play will premiere at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne in March 2027.
The creators wanted to make the play for about 25 years and will add funny updates reflecting the last 25 years.
Producer Michael Cassel praised the story for its mix of humor, family love, and dignity.
Casting details for the play have not been announced yet.
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Large wildfires are burning in Spain and France, forcing more than 300,000 people to leave their homes. These evacuations are among the largest in Europe since World War II as emergency workers try to control the fires.
Key Facts
Wildfires are spreading rapidly in parts of Spain and France.
Over 300,000 residents have been evacuated due to the fires.
The evacuations rank as one of the biggest in Europe since World War II.
Fire crews are working quickly to stop the fires from spreading further.
Dangerous heat and dry weather are contributing to the wildfires’ growth.
The situation is ongoing, with efforts focused on protecting people and property.
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Healthcare workers at an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo, have stopped working to demand two months of unpaid salary. This strike comes as the number of deaths from Ebola in the country has risen to over 1,400.
Key Facts
Healthcare workers at an Ebola treatment center in Bunia, DR Congo, are on strike.
The workers want payment for two months of unpaid salary.
The strike is happening during a rise in Ebola deaths.
More than 1,400 people have died from Ebola in DR Congo so far.
The strike could affect efforts to control the Ebola outbreak.
Bunia is one of the locations affected by the outbreak.
Ebola is a serious viral disease that can cause severe illness and death.
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President Donald Trump flew from Michigan on Monday aboard Air Force One, which has a new paint design. The plane is now dark blue with a gold stripe and red trim.
Key Facts
President Trump traveled from Michigan on Monday using Air Force One.
Air Force One is a Boeing 757 airplane used for presidential travel.
The plane received a new paint design featuring dark blue color.
The new scheme includes a gold stripe and red trim.
The update was reported by Ana Ceballos, a journalist from the Los Angeles Times.
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Rep. Haley Stevens and Abdul El-Sayed debated for the second time ahead of the Michigan Democratic Senate primary on August 4. They discussed topics like corporate influence in politics and support for Israel as they compete to replace retiring Senator Gary Peters.
Key Facts
Haley Stevens is a current U.S. Representative from Michigan.
Abdul El-Sayed is the former health director of Wayne County, Michigan.
They are both running in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat.
The primary is scheduled for August 4.
The current Senator, Gary Peters, is retiring and not seeking reelection.
The candidates debated issues including the role of corporate money in politics.
They also discussed their positions on U.S. support for Israel.
This debate was their second one-on-one meeting before the primary vote.
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In rural Zimbabwe, a new telehealth program connects patients with doctors through video calls, reducing the need for long and costly travel. This service, started in 2024, uses local health workers and satellite internet to provide medical care in remote villages.
Key Facts
Telehealth centers in Zimbabwe allow patients to have video consultations with doctors.
The program began in 2024, led by ZimSmart Villages in partnership with state-owned telecom and postal companies.
Zimbabwe has fewer doctors per people compared to the African average, especially in rural areas.
Patients like Anymore Kadzunge travel long distances for healthcare; telehealth helps by bringing doctors closer digitally.
Local nurses check vital signs and help patients before video appointments.
Starlink satellite internet and backup batteries keep the centers running during power cuts.
By 2026, 28 telehealth centers were set up across seven Zimbabwean provinces, completing over 28,000 virtual visits.
The telehealth centers are located inside existing post offices to improve accessibility for rural residents.
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